Honing devices with many types of honing mandrels, assemblies and abrasive members have been developed and used for a wide range of applications. Typical of the known honing devices are those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,799,127, 3,216,155, 3,225,496 and 4,651,475. Such honing devices provide for the rotation of abrasive members, where the abrasive surface of the member faces and is in direct surface-to-surface contact with the surface of the worked material. During rotation of the abrasive member in the bore of the worked material, the face of the abrasive element contacts and abrades the surface of the worked material and removes material as it rotates and is pressed thereagainst.
Disadvantages of the known honing devices result from the relatively large surface of the abrasive element in substantial contact with the surface of the bore being honed and the limited pressures that can be applied per unit area. Also, friction-related heat is produced when the abrasive surfaces are rotated during the honing process and increases substantially as the honing pressure and/or speed of rotation increases. Furthermore, when conventionally bonded abrasives are used, the abrasive surface does not always wear evenly and it is often difficult and time consuming to accurately true in or dress to preserve the honing accuracy. In addition, the waste materials formed through the abrading process build up on the abrasive surface and reduce the efficiency of the honing element. Not only are the more conventional abrasive members thicker, requiring more abrasive, but the resulting heat and friction often lead to fouling of the work surface and further reduce the efficiency.
One of the more pertinent prior art devices to the present invention is disclosed in Appelby et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,651,475 which discloses a honing tool with a relatively thick (0.125") abrasive strip attached to a wooden backing member of even greater thickness. The abrasive strip is situated so that a relatively narrow edge surface of the strip or strips is in contact with the material being worked. The honing tool still produces significant friction and heat, especially if relatively high honing pressures and speeds are used.
The present invention is directed to a honing device and specifically to an abrasive element having opposite side and end surfaces and an outermost edge surface extending to adjacent to the side and end surfaces, said element having a layer of a hard material such as a superabrasive material and a binder attached on and extending the length of one of the side surfaces and to and along one of the edge surfaces. Importantly, unlike the known honing art, the abrasive element of the present construction is formed of a backing member with a thin coating of superabrasive material and binder, attached on one, and in some cases more than one, of the side surfaces. When used, the subject honing element is mounted on a honing assembly such that only an edge, not a face, of the superabrasive layer or layers along one side of the edge surface engages the work surface to be honed. This enables a user of the present honing device to achieve improved economics of honing through improved abrasive wear rates, while enabling use of higher honing pressures and speeds, and producing less waste and less fouling due to waste build up on the abrasive surface and on the workpiece. Furthermore, because only an edge of the abrasive layer engages the work, it is relatively easy to redress the honing element when need be. These features in a honing tool represent important improvements in the honing art.